Cortland volleyball clinches SUNYAC Volleyball Tournament berth

Nadia Moore finished with six kills and a team-high seven blocks vs. Potsdam (Darl Zehr Photography)

BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Cortland women's volleyball team earned a berth into the SUNYAC postseason tournament after splitting two league matches. The Red Dragons swept Potsdam, 25-14, 25-23, 25-21, but were swept by regular-season champion Brockport, 25-19, 25-8, 25-18.

Cortland (11-14, 4-5 SUNYAC) finished in a three-way tie for fifth in the final league standings with Oneonta and Oswego. The three teams were each 1-1 in head-to-head play, and had the same results versus the other seven league teams. Based on set percentage in the three-way head-to-head, Oneonta earned the fifth seed (4-3 in sets versus Cortland and Oswego).

The tiebreaker then returned to head-to-head between Cortland and Oswego, with Cortland earning the sixth and final seed as a result of its win over the Lakers earlier this fall. Cortland will travel to third seeded Geneseo for the SUNYAC quarterfinals on Tuesday, Oct. 31.

Courtney Silberer (Centereach) led Cortland versus Potsdam with 12 kills, with her sister Nicole Silberer (Centereach) adding nine kills. Gabby Amelio (Pine Bush) distributed 31 assists and added two aces and eight digs, and Nadia Moore (Durham, NC/Durham School of the Arts) led the squad with seven blocks, followed by Amanda May (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker) with six. Moore also had six kills.

Kelsea Healis led Potsdam (11-14, 1-7 SUNYAC after the match) with seven kills and Brianna Rodda had 18 assists and 12 digs.

Cortland held off a furious Potsdam rally in the second set. The Bears trailed 23-15 before scoring eight straight points to tie it at 23-23. A service error, however, gave Cortland the lead, and the Red Dragons won the set on a Valerie Fischer (Williston Park/Mineola) kill. Cortland finished the match hitting .220 as a team (37 kills, 17 errors in 91 attempts). Potsdam ended with a minus-.011 percentage (24 kills, 25 errors in 95 attempts) as Cortland ended with 10 total team blocks.

In the loss to Brockport, the Silberers finished with seven kills each. Amelio recorded 15 assists and Alexandra Graff (Apex, NC) rang up 16 digs. Brockport (19-8, 9-0 SUNYAC) was led by Cassie Birth with 13 kills and Laiken Fox with 11 kills. The Golden Eagles finished the match with a .309 attack percentage while holding Cortland to a .066 mark.

Cortland will host St. John Fisher on Wednesday, Oct. 25, at 6 p.m. in the Red Dragons final home match of the season.